Fatah wins student council elections at Birzeit, Hebron universities

The Student Council elections held Wednesday at the West Bank University of Birzeit indicated a drop in Fatah power: The movement won 24 seats, as opposed to 22 seats won by Hamas.

Though winning the elections, Fatah still lost one seat to Hamas since the previous elections. Palestinian sources said the results were indicative of Hamas’ success in the West Bank, despite the recent arrests of its senior members.

Source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3701813,00.html

Results were as follows:

The Shabibeh Students Bloc (Fatah) 24
Islamic Wafa’ Students Bloc (Hamas) 22
Leftist Bloc (PFLP) 4
Palestinian People’s Party 1
Islamic Jihad – withdrew

Several other parties competed in the elections but failed to gain seats.

At Hebron Polytechnic University the Fatah-affiliated Shabibeh Students Bloc won the student council elections after winning 26 out of 31 seats.

For full article, visit http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=37150

“I’ll be voting for Fatah because my family supports them, and they also have a good political programme for students,” said Ranim Omari, a second-year Psychology student. “Ultimately, both Fatah and Hamas are Palestinian movements and we should be supporting more unity.”

Two first-year female students aged 18 – one of them wearing the Kufiya, a symbol of Palestinian resistance that is increasingly becoming synonymous with Fatah and the PLO – expressed their confusion, although they said they will be voting Hamas.

“I don’t understand anything. I’m only wearing this because it’s fashionable, I like it, but I think I’ll vote for Hamas because they are leading the resistance,” she said.

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Fatah delegation returns from Gaza, calls meetings with Hamas “productive”

Al-Ifranji called his mission in Gaza an “ice breaking” one that would prevent factional members from “using weapons against each other.” He also confirmed that the talks in Gaza were not a replacement for the 26 April talks in Cairo but rather a parallel process.

“Dialogue with Hamas has created chances to continue discussions that began in Cairo,” Al-Ifranji said. He noted Abbas would be updated on the mission when he returned to the West Bank.

For full article, visit http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=37143

Egypt proposes West Bank-Gaza Strip unity committee

“This was a last-minute proposal, the details of which are unclear, waiting to be clarified during the coming round of talks that will be held at the end of April,” he added.

Al-Bardaweel expressed hope of reaching an agreement during the coming round of talks, and affirmed that “it will not be the last, in the event that there are unresolved issues, because Hamas as well as Fatah is determined to keep the doors open for Palestinian unity.”

For full article, visit http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=37031

PFLP proposes a government with no political agenda

Al Ghoul stated during the Thursday morning meeting in Gaza City that the PFLP presented its suggestion of a transitional government that has specific tasks topped by uniting the Palestinian institutions, rebuilding Gaza, and preparing for new legislative and presidential elections.

The PFLP demanded Fateh and Hamas to stop the political arrests in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and to stop all violations to public freedom.

For full article, visit http://www.imemc.org/article/59868

Hamas confirms talks with Fatah to resume on 26 April in Cairo

The statement came five days after a senior Hamas leader returning from Cairo noted talks had been “postponed indefinitely.”

Fatah and Egyptian spokespeople maintained that talks had been scheduled for 26 April, though Hamas remained silent on the issue until 9 March when they confirmed the set date.

For full article, visit http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=37004

Abu Zuhri: “Hamas will not accept any government that does not receive PLC approval”

Sami Abu Zuhri

In a statement to the Quds Press, Sami Abu Zuhri, spokesperson of Hamas, called on Fateh movement “to free itself from the US preconditions”.

“We are not the problem”, Abu Zuhri said, “The problem is in those who link the success of the talks with an American blessing”.

He also said that Ramallah government is illegitimate, and that any new government will not be legitimate unless it is presented and approved by the legislative council.

For full article, visit http://www.imemc.org/article/59832

Fatah delegation in Strip meets Hamas officials in Gaza City

Member of the Fatah Central Committee Abdullah Al-Ifranji called the visit an initiative by “President Abu Mazen to assuage the climate in order to swiftly reach mutual understandings.” He also added that his visit to the Gaza strip “does not clash with the mission of the Palestinian delegation to the Cairo dialogue,” which returned to the West Bank last week.

For full article, visit http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=36986

Abbas to dispatch two of his aides to Gaza, Hamas welcomes the step

The two Fateh officials who will be heading to Gaza are Marwan Abdul-Hamid, Abbas’ advisor on development and construction, and Abdullah Al Efranji, in charge of Fateh’s External Relations.

Al Efranji stated that this visit aims at listening to all factions in the Gaza Strip, to observe the destruction caused by the Israeli offensive, and to observe the effects of this assault on Fateh’s institutions, educational facilities and different institutions in Gaza.

For full article, visit http://www.imemc.org/article/59808

Hamas: Egypt did not recommend Abbas to head transitional government

Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum denied earlier reports that Egypt had recommended Abbas, whose term expired in January, to stay on after the completion of reconciliation talks between Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah movement.

“We did not receive any Egyptian proposals that Abbas will head the new government, but there are Egyptian thoughts and proposals that Fatah and Hamas may agree on, especially since the program of the new government is not yet fixed.”

For full article, visit http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=36915

Palestinians discuss unity talks

SAMEER KRAISHI, computer programmer in Ramallah, West Bank

Sameer Kraishi

“I am against their interference here and against Islamist policy in Gaza.

As I talk to you I look out of my window and see the hillside where I used to play as a kid – with an Israeli settlement on top of it. I’ll never forget my play area, but my little brother never knew it.

When he plays, he goes to EU and UN-funded youth groups. I think all this money is aimed at making us accept the status quo.”

For more opinions, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7942582.stm